Diversification

[Richard SimpsonModerator @richardsimpson88330]

Sorry I haven’t been on here much recently but I’ve been quite busy with other things, one of which I though some of you might find interesting.

I think recently I have found myself missing the chat/banter/comradeship of a ship’s engine room, which has always been an integral part of my life.  Recently someone pointed me in the direction of a local privately owned light railway, which was looking for volunteers.  I went along and had a chat with the chap who owns the place and started to go along to the regular Saturday meetings, whereby anything and everything that needs doing gets attended to.  The gauge is 10 1/4, so quite big and the track is over a mile and a half if you do the outside loop, the inside loop and the station loop.  Its just like being back in a ship’s workshop in many respects with repairs and maintenance being required but then we also open up to the public for around six times throughout the summer months.  This entails getting steam locos ready, a couple of hour’s job and then testing them for a couple of hours before opening the gates and letting the public in for a couple of hours.  I am now learning the craft of becoming a Railway Steam Locomotive Engineman, which does contain some areas that I already have experience with, such as the workings of a steam cylinder and valves, combustion and lubrication, etc. so I do have a bit of a head start.

I also take advantage of every opportunity to drive any steam loco that may be available to start to become familiar with the demands of driving a steam train.  Everything is pretty much as it is full size so looking after the fire, water level, signals etc. are all a part of it.  I also get to get my hands very dirty and spend some time in a workshop so I really do enjoy it.

Anyone interested can see a video here of the entire circuit:

And this is me getting to grips with it:

 

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Gosh Richard! Is that James the Red Engine?

Looks great fun.

Coin

[Richard SimpsonModerator @richardsimpson88330]

That one is called Sans Pareil, (Without Parallel) no-one seems quite sure why!  As for fun, I defy anyone to drive one of these and not get off smiling.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Sans Pareil is usually taken to mean ‘Without Equal’. There were three Royal Navy ships that carried the name.

Colin

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Richard,

That’s really good news, the bond of engineering is strong, I think sometimes I should volunteer on a railway, but seem to be too busy building models 🙂

I don’t know is is proper Welsh steam coal is still available ? but what a lovely smell with the hot oil !!  I have a dustbin full of the good stuff in the shed for special occasion steam up in the garden 🙂

Regards  Ray

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Lack of steam coal is causing serious problems for heritage railways.

https://www.hra.uk.com/news/mine-decision-short-sighted-says-heritage-rail-group

Colin

[Richard SimpsonModerator @richardsimpson88330]

From what I can gather after just a brief conversation on the subject, we are not allowed to use British coal any more but it is OK to burn imported coal.  That sounds about right for this country.

Some heritage and light railways are experimenting with converting to diesel burners but it just isn’t the same somehow.

[Richard SimpsonModerator @richardsimpson88330]

Ray, the smell of the coal mixed with the steam and the hot oil makes for quite an experience.  If I drive my glasses end up covered in a mixture of soot, water and oil, but I still can’t stop grinning.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Richard,

Apparently heritage railways must use proper steam coal for environmental reasons, it has been that way for years I believe. The only remaining UK mine supplying this grade of coal has closed down so the equivalent has to be imported. There are not many sources and it is very expensive.

Colin

[Richard SimpsonModerator @richardsimpson88330]

The best coal has always been Welsh and was a major contributing factor to the speed of British warships during the steam years, to the point that Welsh coal was stockpiled around the world to ensure the supply of the best bunkers for British ships.

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

I’m sure everyone’s talking about Anthracite.  It’s still available for about £15 for a 25kg bag but I doubt that’s viable for a full sized locomotive.  Back in the late 70’s I worked for Ruston Diesels and led the team who restored the Lion for Rainhill 150.  I spent no end of time running around Newton-le-Willows and beyond looking for Anthracite by the truck load.

With no blower, Lion took some 5 hours to raise steam.  4.30am start to be ready for the BR inspectors.  We were very lucky as regards track.  It still existed through the main site and a length ran out of the old repair shop.  Both disappeared into a field at the back of the factory.  After a lot of digging we found the points that made the connection and ended up with a half mile test track through the works!

Richard is very correct about the unique smell of coal steam and oil.  We should have a special word for it just like gardeners have petrichor for freshly mown grass.

Len. 🙂

[Richard SimpsonModerator @richardsimpson88330]

We had an open day yesterday so used the opportunity to ask a few more questions.  Apparently we have a stock of Welsh coal which should last a while but, when that has gone, the problem is that there is no longer a supplier of coal suitable for locomotive use.  Consequently then our only option will be to buy imported Polish coal, which is comparatively very poor quality.  Yet we stand on some of the best coal in the world.

Raising steam without using either a fan or a blower is a frustrating and frequently failed process and I’m surprised that the Lion had nothing at all to help.  Just sticking a fan on top of the chimney makes a huge difference.  We use compressed air through the blower line until we get enough pressure.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Richard, if it were economic to keep the last Welsh steam coal mine open then presumably they would have done so. I don’t know what the market is for this variety but it seems the various heritage railways are insufficient to make it viable.

Who actually burns coal directly these days?

Colin

[Richard SimpsonModerator @richardsimpson88330]

There was a proposal to open a plant that was going to make briquettes from wood pulp but I think that idea has died a death as well, probably again due to an uncertain market.

As for burning coal I don’t know, I don’t know who is left using it.

These does seem to be a couple of small mines still left in operation so quite what the situation is with using it in heritage railways I’m not so sure.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/coal-mining-production-and-manpower-returns-2025/coal-mining-production-and-manpower-returns-from-january-to-march-2025

 

 

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